My current project 72G Bow planted version 2.

[fjf888]

This is my second attempt after I took down my first planted tank after about 2.5 years running. Don't laugh too hard. I'm looking for suggestions. I have a bit of collectoritis, as this is kind of a combo scape/experiment to see what grows well. I hope to evolve it more into a scape.

Specs. 72g Bow
Wet Dry Filter, with Mag 5 in sump
CO2 injection inline via cerges reactor
Lighting 4x55 Nova Extreme T5-HO, (but I only use 2x55 light)
Substrate 2-3" Eco complete Cap of a thin layer boiled wormcastings mixed 50/50 with black sand, toppped with a thin layer of osmocote with traces, dolomite, and k2SO4. (next time I start from scratch I'm using aquasoil)

Plants

Rotala Indica
Moneywort (phasing out)
rotala wallichii
Cambomba (not sure what variety)
Crypt Wendti Brown
Crypt Wendti Green
Ludwigia Repens
Staurogyne 049
A little dwarf hairgrass
Microsword (not entirely sure what variety)
Riccia floating (was going to use it but decided not to)

The cerges reactor seems to be restricting flow a good bit, considering another CO2 option, but hesitant, since algae is starting to get under control and plants are doing better. I used to use a Rio 800 with Venturi but that wasted a lot of CO2.

Here are a few pics

[fjf888]

Could only attach 1 pic to the last message

[Ghazanfar Ghori]

Looks like a good start. When you prune the Rotala - just cut the stems down to about 4", leave the bottoms as is, and replant the tops back in. It'll help fill in the background much faster.

[ingg]

Good start!

It is going to end up very linear - just meaning, the rotala will end up making this long tall line, then a long short line under it from the (is that low grow hygro?).

That you can tweak as you go eventually. Early scapes are always about learning pruning (I still suck at it) and how things'll grow in... and with rotala and ludwigia, you'll get tons of practice on it.

[fjf888]

4 inches, really that short? I've been cutting it down to about 12 inches. I just turned in a bunch of cuttings at Centreville. Is it a problem crowding the stems really close together?

The primary plant in the foreground is Staurogyne 049. I got it from Tom Barr. It was immaculate when I got it, then it became algae ridden, now its coming around.

I have a lot to learn about pruning clearly.

thanks

[ingg]

Rotalas are one of those stems you can really cut low (okay, almost all of em, a couple of the needle leaf ones give me trouble doing it)

It makes for thicker bushier growth, and hides the trim point down low. It'll bounce back and look twice as good, twice as fast

[fjf888]

That's good to know. I will start doing that.

Thanks